Kent Sport Team Volunteers
to improve Bedgebury Forest cycle track
In October, the Kent Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service volunteered for a day of hard labour, of a different kind to their normal work, improving the off-road cycle track at Bedgebury Forest and Pinetum in Goudhurst.
The team helped to reconstruct a stretch of the single/Olympic route, a challenging 14km circuit. The track was rebuilt with several tons of soil and gravel which had to be moved into place with wheelbarrows and dug by hand with spades. The team constructed curves and banked corners in order to prevent erosion by riders who use the track in the future.
The team were assisted by the Bedgbury Forest Cycle Club and Forestry Commission staff.
The Bedgbury off-road cycle track is special to the team as it is one of the 36 Pre-Games Training Camp venues which Kent boasts and will be the training grounds for the world's athletes in the lead up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.
Staff were also pleased to support the venue as the Bedgbury National Pinetum is home to the most complete collection of conifer species in the world and therefore of environmental significance which fits with the environmental aims of the team.
Staff had the opportunity to test the course on mountain bikes under the leadership of Ollie Ireland, the Cycle Development Coach at Bedgebury.
